King Coal is a well-illustrated overview of coal mining in the Mountain State. This book discusses and illustrates the basics of mining methods and operations, the geology of the state, life in a coal town, the unrest in the coalfields and more. King Coal describes the living conditions of the miners, and some of the state’s worst mining disasters. You’ll meet some of the more colorful and fabled characters of the industry, including Albert “Sid” Hatfield, Mary Harris “Mother” Jones, and former UMWA president William Blizzard.

About the author:

Stan Cohen was born in Charleston, West Virginia and is a graduate of Charleston High School and West Virginia University with a BS degree in geology. He has worked in the oil fields of West Virginia as a geologist with the U.S. Forest Service in Montana and Alaska. He established Pictorial Histories Publishing Company in 1976. He has since authored or coauthored 68 books and published over 250 titles. He specializes in Civil War and World War II books and has traveled the world visiting military sites and attending military reunions.